A few weeks ago, I underwent vocal cord surgery. I was placed on strict voice rest, which meant no talking whatsoever. Even whispering was strictly off-limits.

So, like any sensible person, I armed myself with a trusty whiteboard and pen, frantically scribbling responses to conversations that had already moved on by the time I held it up.

It really made me see how much our voice does the work of connecting with people. Without it, I had to make every hastily written word count.

Turning it around to you

Being on voice rest got me thinking about the financial planners we work with.

So much of what you do depends on human connection – the little moments in conversation, the reassurance you give, the way you put someone at ease.

But it made me wonder: what if you couldn’t speak in that first meeting? What if you had to turn your laptop around and let your website do all the talking instead?

Would it sound like the person they’re sitting across from?

Would it explain your value clearly?

Would it build the same level of trust you do?

The Whiteboard Exercise

Here’s a little thought experiment – let’s call it the Whiteboard Exercise (original, I know).

Imagine you’re in a room with a potential client. You can’t speak. You’re handed a whiteboard and told that you have just 50 words to explain who you are and what you do.

What would you scribble down? What’s the one thing you’d want your client to feel as they read it?

Now, go and look at your website’s homepage. Does it say the same thing? If not, you’re losing the very thing that makes your firm special: you.

What actually works

If your website is going to speak for you, it needs to feel like you. That usually comes down to a few simple things.

Conversational copy: Write the way you talk. If you wouldn’t say “we leverage holistic synergies” in a client meeting, don’t put it on your “About us” page.

The ‘human’ element: Photos, a short video, or even warm, personal team pages help someone put a face to the expertise. People want to get to know the person they’re trusting with their retirement.

Mirror your clients: Use the questions they actually ask you. When a prospect sees their own worries reflected on your page, they immediately feel understood.

When your website gets this right, it changes everything. Prospects arrive already feeling comfortable; they understand what you do and start to trust you before you’ve even spoken.

Think back to the Whiteboard Exercise. You wouldn’t use filler words or focus on carefully constructed phrases. You’d pick words that feel natural and reassuring, the kind of words you use every day. And your website should do the same, because for most people, that is their first conversation with you.

So, the question remains – if you couldn’t speak, would your website still say everything it needs to?

Let’s find your voice

At The Yardstick Agency, we help financial planners find the right words to tell their story and connect with the right clients.

Whether you’re thinking about a full refresh or simply want your website to better reflect who you are, we’d love to help.

Call 0115 8965 300 or email hi@theyardstickagency.co.uk to start the conversation.

P.S. I’ve since made a full recovery, so thankfully the whiteboard has been retired.